Lacey
by True Courage
Summary: There was no greater torment than the one this curse placed upon him. He could only protect one of them, and now he will have to live with that choice. Just a bit longer. Just a bit longer until everyone he loved will be safe, till they were his again.


**There was at least 500 words missing before. It should be fixed now.**

**xxx**

It was a dark day for her people. The ogres tore apart her land. They sought to destroy her. Her family. Her friends. (Was that such a bad thing?) Belle shook the thought away almost as soon as it had risen. No one deserved to have themselves destroyed by those monsters. Part of her wondered about them. Why? Why did they seek to destroy, to kill? Were they really as mindless as they seemed?

Loud banging brought her out of her thoughts. The guards ran to the door, their swords drawn. It was him, it had to be! Her excitement was caused by more than relief, that their war would soon come to an end. The Dark One. Since she had first heard the name Rumplestiltskin, she was intrigued. She read up all she could on him, but they all seemed to say the same things. An evil imp who gives you what you want at an unreasonable price. (If it was really unreasonable, why did you make the deal to begin with?) Breaking a deal with him always lead to disaster. (Than why do they do it?) But she knew that what she read was only one side of the story. What was he really like? Was he really as monstrous as they said? What about his side?

The doors flew open. Belle couldn't help but feel disappointed. Were they mistaken?

"Well that was a bit of a let down?"

They spun around, Belle gasping when she set eyes on the man in her father's seat. She was surprised at how... human he looked. He was certainly not a normal man. His skin was strange and his eyes... were they green or gold? His hair seemed curly, till she realized it was because it hadn't been washed in who knows how long (well, that was certainly off putting.) He held something in his clawed hands, as he made a small noise in his throat.

"You sent a message. Something about, 'Help, help, we're dying, can you save us?'" His voice was high and shrill, with a hint of an accent she did not recognize. She barely noticed Gaston approaching him, sword drawn.

"And the answer is..." He stood and batted Gaston's blade away, giving him a look like a disappointed parent. "Yes. I can."

He took a step and tossed the object as one of the counselors.

"Yes I can protect your little town..." he said, sounding a bit bored as he walked lazily around the table in the middle of the room. Belle decided that the books were not exaggerating about his love of dramatics. "For a price."

"We sent you a promise of gold," her father said, sounding more angry than a man asking for help had any right to be.

"Well you see, I uh... _make gold_," so the rumor was true. "What I want is something a bit more..._special_. My price, is her."

Oh god, did he mean... Gaston appeared to think so, because he put his arm in front of her, trying to push her behind him. Belle had to fight the urge to jump away from him, but couldn't surpress the flinch. Rumplestiltskin noticed. His eyes flickered to them, narrowing slightly.

"No!"

"The young lady is engaged. To me." (Like she had a choice.)

"I wasn't asking if she was engaged," he scoffed, continuing his languid walk. "I'm not looking for... _love._"

Than what did he want?

"I'm looking for a caretaker! For my rather large... _estate._"

Whatever was said next, she missed. Only one thought echoed through her head, one she had dreamed of for two months now. Something she though was impossible.

_An escape!_

She didn't even realize her father had rejected the deal until Gaston was pulling her out of the Dark One's path. She panicked for a moment. No, this can't be happening. She can't be stuck here, not with him. She hadn't even realized she had called out to him until Rumplestiltskin stopped and turned to face her. He looked at her with golden eyes that seemed to see right through her. She felt like she had been snared by a spell as she pulled herself free of Gaston and approached the Dark One, not stopping until he was in arm's reach.

"I will go with you."

Nothing sounded more liberating than saying those words. She was selling herself to the service of this man for the rest of her life, but it was _her _choice. And anything had to better than to be married to _him. _Rumplestiltskin let out a high pitched giggle of delight.

"I forbid it!"

Belle turned to glare at her 'betrothed,' letting all her anger be visible in her eyes, even as her posture remained unchanged.

"No one decides my fate but me." If this was her only chance to make that choice, than so be it. She turned back to Rumplestiltskin, more determined than before. "I will go with you."

"It's forever dearie."

"My people, my friends, they will all live?"

"You have my word," the imp made a small but dramatic bow.

"Than you have mine. I will go with you. Forever."

"Deal!" The dark clapped his hands together and let out a gleeful sound that seemed like a laugh and a giggle.

"No, Belle. I won't let you go with this... beast."

Rumplestiltskin brought his hand up to his chest and gasped in mock hurt.

Belle turned to face her father, refusing to grace Gaston with so much as a final glance.

"It has been decided."

"You know," Belle flinched when she realized how close Rumplestiltskin had gotten. "She's right. The deal... _is struck. _Oh, good luck on your little war!"

Rumplestiltskin let out another unnerving giggle as he led her from the war room and the only life she had ever known.

She only hoped her new one wouldn't be as bad as her old.

Xxx

Lacey had barely made it downstairs when the recently missing boy ran up the stairs, barreling past her. Lacey stumbled, hearing the Mayor call after her son. The Sheriff stood in the doorway, watching them.

"I'll go make sure he's okay," Lacey said. Graham nodded and Lacey turned to make the climb once more.

Lacey used to be fine walking up those stairs, but in recent months, she'd been a little wary, fearful of falling. She didn't want her clumsiness to cost her the two lives growing in her belly. She was only a couple months along, not past the point where she could have a miscarriage. (Why she cared, she wasn't sure.) She took the stairs slower than usual, hoping her employer didn't notice. Regina wasn't keen on indulging her not entirely irrational (at least Lacey thought so) fear.

Lacey went straight for Henry's room when she reached the top. She knocked before entering. Henry sat on his bed, smiling to himself. Lacey hated it when he did that. It usually precluded Lacey getting yelled at because of something Henry did. If she didn't like Henry so much, she would have quit a long time ago.

"Hey, Lacey."

"Henry," Lacey said warningly. "What are you up to?"

"I found my birth mother!" he announced, grinning gleefully.

Lacey gaped.

"Y-You did? I- uh. Congratulations?"

Henry smiled even wider.

"It's gets even better!" Henry lowered his voice to a whisper. "She's the savior!"  
Lacey smiled.

"Really?"

"Yep! And it's her 28th birthday today. The final battle is beginning."

Lacey had grown used to Henry's wild fantasy. She even kept it from his mother as he asked. She played along, but only because he always managed to find away to slip away from her if she didn't. Not that it seemed to help much in this instance.

"Henry, why didn't you tell me what you were doing? You could have been hurt, I could have helped you!"

"No, you can't even leave the town," Henry shook his head. "Plus it would have gotten you in trouble with mom. No, this was my journey."

Henry looked to the window as a car started, a small smile on his lips. Lacey looked confused, than looked over at where Henry had left his things.

"Henry, where is your book?"

Xxx

"Where are you taking me?" Belle asked as they walked through the Dark Castle. It was much larger than her father's, though it didn't seem so on the inside. There were things everywhere, some she recognized, some she didn't. It wasn't a mess, mind you. Everything appeared to have it's place and it was neat, but the sheer number of items made the rooms appear smaller than they actually were.

"Let's call it..." the Dark One turned to face her for a moment, pointing at her. "... 'Your Room.'"

Belle was curious, but her heart sunk as he began to lead her down a dark set of stone steps. He stopped in front of what proved to be a dungeon door which he used Magic to open.

"My room?" Belle asked, aghast.

"Well it sounds a lot better than dungeon," he smiled gleefully before throwing her inside. By the time she managed to regain her footing, the door was closed and she could hear his maniacal laughter as he locked it.

"You can't leave me in here!" she pleaded as she banged on the door. "Hello? Hello! Please, I-"

Belle stopped. It was her only chance, and he would find out sooner or later. She hadn't told anyone of this, not even her father, not even her closest of friends. But she had to. One way or the other. Better to get it over with now than face the beasts ire later.

"I- I'm pregnant!"

There was no reply. Belle breathed harshly, not prepared to the emotional turmoil than came with saying it out loud for the first time. She hadn't even realized she had backed away from the door until her back hit a wall. But she refused to cry. She would not cry. She had to be brave, she had to. For the innocent life that depended on hers.

Belle jumped when the door opened once more, revealing the imp. His face was unreadable, but an inner turmoil seemed to be brewing in his eyes. Or was she imagining it?

"You... are with child?" Rumplestiltskin asked, an odd, broken tone in his otherwise nonchalant voice.

"Yes," Belle said flatly, refusing to look up.

"The father, your fiancee?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She looked up, afraid of what she would find. He appeared unchanged, but that turmoil she thought she saw was now dark and angry, and she flinched. Rumplestiltkskin approached her, and she forced herself to remain still as he placed a hand on her belly, no doubt using magic to confirm her statement. Belle blinked and gasped when she found herself in another room, a proper one. It was not anything like her old one. It was simple, with a small bed and a matching dresser, but it was large, large enough to fit a crib when the time came.

"What- what do you plan to do. When the baby comes," she asked quietly.

"I made a deal for you, not the child. You may do as you wish. Whether you raise it here, send it home, or offer it up for a deal, it is up to you."

With that, the imp was gone.

Xxx

"Lacey."

Regina's deceptively calm voice called her name as she finally made it down the stairs. The mayor stood in the doorway, the only sign of her anger in her dark, merciless eyes.

"I hired you to watch and take care of my son in my absence, a job you do not seem capable of doing. Now, if you cannot do your job, simply tell me and I can find someone else."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Mil-"

"I'm not asking for an apology!" Regina snapped. "Pregnant or not, the next time this happens, you can consider yourself fired! I have tried to be lenient, considering the nature of your pregnancy, but Henry comes first! This is your final warning!"

With that Regina walked off, leaving Lacey alone. Lacey knew it was a dismissal. She quietly grabbed her things and left, making sure to lock the door behind her. Last time she didn't, she could have sworn Regina was going to kill her. (I gave you a spare key for a reason, use it)

Lacey wondered when she had stopped caring.

Xxx

Belle listened carefully as Rumplestiltskin listed off her duties. She carefully made his tea, not wanting to displease her new master any more than necessary. She had no doubt she will; displeasing people seemed to be one thing she was good at. Whether it was by reading too much, or 'seducing' her fiancee (Gaston would never do what she had said, he was too honorable!).

"When the child comes, should you choose to keep it, I will have a crib made as well as anything the child should need. Your duties will be lightened the farther along you are and a while after, depending on how long I see fit."

"Thank you," she whispered.

The imp stared at her, seemingly dumbfounded. They stayed like that for along while, his eyes never leaving her and a cup of tea in her hands, for she was unsure whether she should take the initiative to hand it to him, or wait for him to move first.

"And you will skin the children I hunt for their pelts."

The beauty was so startled by his sudden declaration that she dropped the cup in her hands with a gasp. The Dark One giggled at her softly.

"That one was a quip," Belle stared at him in confusion. "Not serious!"

The imp continued to smile gleefully as Belle sighed in relief. Unsure what to say, Belle looked to the ground to pick up the dropped cup.

"Oh no!" Belle gasped as she picked it up. Rumplestiltskin leaned down to get a better look, looking at her curiously.

"I-It's chippped," she held it up for him to see. "Y-you can barely see it?"

"Well, it's just a cup," he said.

Belle froze, not sure what to think. When it was clear she wasn't in trouble, she rose to finish her task, noting the confused look on her face with one of his own.

Xxx

The thing Lacey hated most about being pregnant was no drinking (again, why did she care?). She wanted nothing more than to go home and drink her way into oblivion. That wasn't an option at the moment. And her husband won't be happy if she gets home too late. Again. (It's your fault this happened. You shouldn't have been out so late!)

Lacey looked up when she heard a door opening and closing, her entire body growing tense. She watched as the pawnbroker made his way out of the Bed and Bath, his eyes bright and his head held high. His steps slowed when he saw her, his face falling. He seemed so... happy for a moment, until a look of complete horror came across his face, than rage, and eventually sorrow. That's not right. She should be the one whose angry. She should be the one whose horrified. Mr. Gold (she could have sworn he was going to cry) put his head down and walked on, completely passing her by.

(Why did you come back?)

Lacey blinked and shook her head. She needed to get home.


End file.
